Someone Who Understands
by XxXxDreamerxXxX
Summary: Rose comes to the Three Broomsticks on a snowy day, wanting to be alone. But of course, she finds Scorpius Malfoy there. Rose/Scorpius one shot. Written for the '3 songs iPod Shuffle' challenge.


**Disclaimer- I don't own, okay?**

**Written for the '3 Songs iPod Shuffle' challenge. My words/phrases were run don't walk, flames, begin, thanks, and memories. **

**(A/n)- I've gotten more updates this week than I ever had in a month... wow. I'm on a role! This is Rose/Scorpius so if you don't like that pairing you are now warned. Enjoy!**

The snow was so thick that you could hardly see two feet in front of you. There were few extremely unlucky people outside, either wandering around the town of Hogsmead or rushing to get into warmth. Minerva McGonagall and some of her students were those unlucky ones, running in all directions to avoid being in the snow much longer. To all student's mild surprise, McGonagall was actually jogging towards the Three Broomsticks, lifting her robes so she didn't trip on them. "I suggest you run, don't walk!" she barked at a student who was walking to Honeydukes, huddled against the wind. "You may slip but at least you'd be out of the snow faster!"

Rose Weasley sighed dejectedly and pulled her hood up, ducking her head to protect it from the whipping snow. She jogged at McGonagall's heels. The warmth of the Three Broomsticks was a great relief, even if it was overcrowded. Rose fought her way through the crowd, squeezing against the walls to avoid getting jostled around by the numerous bodies. Once she finally broke free of the crowd, she stumbled into the only free booth in sight.

"I was under the impression that this booth was already occupied," a cool drawling voice said across from her. Rose cringed then lifted her eyes to find the narrowed gray ones of the last person she wanted to see: Scorpius Malfoy.

"I'm sorry," she said too politely. "But I don't appear to see your name on it." That was a childish comeback and Rose knew it but she had nothing else.

Scorpius laughed humorlessly. "Sharp words, Weasley. I'm hurt."

"Then do you have anything better to add, Malfoy?" Rose said, narrowing her own eyes. "Last time I checked you and your gang of Slytherin's have nothing but insults to throw."

Scorpius shrugged nonchalantly. "Well, if someone really knows themselves then petty insults shouldn't hurt them. Besides, last time _I _checked it was Zabini giving the insults, not me."

"Zabini or not, you're supporting what they're doing," Rose shot back, looking around for another free seat. The Three Broomsticks wasn't the biggest pub and it especially didn't appear that way when it was packed beyond it's maximum capacity. _Well, it's my lucky day,_ Rose thought dryly. _I'm forced to sit here with Malfoy unless I choose to go outside in the snow again. Joy._ Rose wasn't too keen on the idea, she never really liked the ordinary cold in the first place. "Why aren't you hanging out with your pack of little Death Eater wannabes at any rate?"

"'Death Eater wannabes'?" Scorpius repeated, disregarding Rose's question completely. "What makes you think we're 'Death Eater wannabes'?"

Rose snorted. "Oh, where to begin..." she said, tilting her head in mock-thoughtfulness. "First of all, I saw the mark Zabini fashioned himself. Then there's the curses you all use, somehow I'm under the impression that you didn't learn them from Professor Flitwick. Shall I go on?"

"No thanks, I get your point," Scorpius said, leaning back in his seat. "What about you, then? Why aren't you with your enormous family?"

Rose took her hood off, figuring that it wasn't necessary anymore. She shook out her long damp curls out. "I don't have to be with them _all_ the time. But if you _must_ know," she added with a sigh after noticing Scorpius's raised eyebrows, "most of them went home for the holidays. All of them, really, except for me and Al." She bit her lip hard, looking down suddenly and holding back tears. _Get a blood grip on yourself, Rose!_ a sharp voice commanded in her head. _You're about to cry in front of Scorpius Malfoy! It's no big deal anyways. _

"Something up, Weasley?" Scorpius said softly. She was surprised by the sudden concerned quality of his voice. As if he actually cared.

"No, I'm fine," Rose whispered back, looking into the flames of a fireplace nearby. She really didn't feel 'fine' but she had the feeling that she didn't have to mention that for Scorpius to tell anyways. The whole reason Rose decided to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas instead of going back home was because her cousin -and best friend- Albus Potter was staying. They'd had so much planned... Rose wasn't sure how she didn't expect this by now but just before she went to Hogsmead Albus had canceled on her to spend even more time with Alice Longbottom. His _girlfriend_. Again. He'd offered for her to come with them too but Rose declined, not wanting to feel like a third wheel. _Again_.

"I don't think you are," Scorpius stated, dropping the 'Weasley' demeanor. "And you know it. Seriously, what's up?"

Rose shrugged and got up quickly, her composure slipping fast. "I-I dunno. It-it's n-nothing really. I need to go-" Rose nearly knocked over a few people in her haste to go. She wiped the tears pooling in her eyes.

"Rose-wait," Scorpius said, shoving a few giggling witches huddled over a copy of _Witch Weekly _aside to put a firm hand on Rose's shoulder.

Rose shook off his grip and battled her way back through, rushing out into the cold again. She wasn't sure why she felt so hurt or why she broke down now of all times, right in front of Scorpius. Rose walked blindly through the blizzard, wiping her eyes furiously. She held herself together long enough to find a wall and leaned against it, sinking to the snow covered pavement. Rose let out a sob and then the tears really started falling.

"You could talk about it, you know. Talking makes it feel a little bit better."

Rose sighed and tilted her head back, her eyes closed. It was Scorpius, of course. Why didn't he just leave her alone? They would both be much better off that way. "Shove off, Malfoy. I really don't want to talk about 'it' because there's nothing to talk about."

Scorpius didn't move away, but sat down next to her instead. "How can you stand this, Weasley? It's way too bloody cold out here."

"Shove off, Malfoy," Rose repeated, her teeth grinding together.

"No, I don't think so," Scorpius said almost thoughtfully. "I think I'll stay, thanks. I do know what I'm talking about, though. Even if you just tell some of your problems it makes it feel a bit better."

Rose lifted her head and looked at Scorpius with red-rimmed eyes. "Okay, I'll humor you. How does talking about your problems make you feel better?"

Scorpius was silent for a few moments before replying, "It makes it better because at least you know that someone else knows, maybe even cares. It makes the emotional load lighter. Besides, who knows, maybe they _can_ help."

"I don't need help," Rose told him firmly, putting her guard up again. She rested her head on her knees and just let the snow settle on her.

"You mean you don't _want_ help," Scorpius urged. "The rest of the world way be blind and oblivious to feelings but I can see. You need to stop bottling up your emotions all the time for the benefit of everyone else. If they're making you hurt they deserve to know it." He looked intently at her with his piercing stormy eyes.

Rose found herself irritated for some reason. Since when did Scorpius ever have good advise like this? She hated how he acted all wise and patient while she was the one pushing him away, like a silly little child. "How do you know I always bottle up my emotions?" she retorted angrily, tears of frustration leaking out this time.

"I can tell, Rose," he told her calmly, not even bothering calling her 'Weasley' anymore. "You change yourself to please others, and if you don't like something you don't say anything at all. You just go with it. I can see that while everyone else, even Albus, ignores it." He sighed and closed his eyes for a few moments. When he opened them up again, he carried on with his eyes trailed on the falling snow. "The reason I know you're doing that is because I've done it myself. Plenty of times."

Rose was confused. Whenever she thought about Scorpius Malfoy she'd never given much thought about his life in general, she'd always passed it off as perfect. Something she would want. He was an only child to the famously rich Draco and Astoria Malfoy, always spoiled and getting the full attention of his adoring parents. Rose, however, was the older child, the one who watched as her brother Hugo got all the attention, all of the love. '_Who would have time to pay attention to old Rose when there was so many more kids to deal with? She could take care of herself, she has Albus anyways...' That's what they'd be thinking, _Rose thought bitterly. _Mum and Dad have never taken the time to see what was really going on._ "When was that?" Rose asked in a whisper, her voice barely audible.

Scorpius smiled a bit. "So you want me to talk about my problems but you won't talk about yours? That's hardly fair."

Rose wiped away another tear, hopefully the last one. She felt emotionally spent. "I dunno..." She muttered but picked up her voice. "Like I said, it's nothing, really. I was going to go to Hogsmead with Al but he canceled on me like he's been doing all the time lately. He figures... they _all _figure... tha-that I wou-wouldn't mind too much. They never put my own emotions into account."

Scorpius only looked faintly surprised. "I thought it might be somewhere along those lines since you teared up when you mentioned Albus before," he told her in a matter-of-fact tone. "But I didn't think it'd be your whole family. With me, it is my family..."

Rose looked at Scorpius to prompt him to go on. He closed his mouth. "I told you my story now you tell me yours," she said in an almost harsh voice. "Go on."

"It's my dad... and my mum," Scorpius started off, examining his hands with great interest as he got lost in his memories. "Ever since a young boy I've yearned for his praise... for him to be proud of me. To express his love in some way. I know he loves me but he's never been able to show it to me in the right ways... I thought maybe when I got Slytherin, he'd be proud. Of course not, he just gave me an unimpressed 'good job'. Not when Slytherin finally won the Quidditch from Gryffindor... not when I got more O.W.L.s than he ever would have... I know by now that I shouldn't keep putting my hopes up but I can't help it. "

Rose was now certain that she never really knew Scorpius Malfoy. She overlooked him like so many others had done to both of him. What would she do with this newfound knowledge, though? Most people would share it, to put him down a few pegs. _But I won't,_ Rose realized, _because I know more or less how he feels. _"We're more alike than I would have ever guessed," Rose commented, smiling softly even though she wasn't remotely happy or amused. "Odd."

"Odd," Scorpius echoed distantly, looking up at the snow falling from the sky. "Looks like the snow it letting up," he remarked.

Rose shivered violently. "I didn't realize how could I am until now," she said through chattering teeth. "Maybe we should go back inside?"

"You go," Scorpius sighed and got up. "I have somewhere else to go." He looked at her for a few more seconds with intense eyes before hesitantly leaning in and kissing her gently on the cheek. He walked away.

Despite the freezing cold, Rose felt her cheek flare up as if it was on fire.

**(A/n)- Well, there it is! Hit or miss? I know it's not original by any means but I still enjoyed writing it. Please review to tell me how I did!**


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